It has long been known that the strength of the adhesive bond formed between the copper metal of the circuitry innerlayers and the cured pre-preg layers, or other non-conductive coatings, in contact therewith leaves something to be desired, with the result that the cured multilayer composite or the coating is susceptible to delamination in subsequent processing and/or use. In response to this problem, the art developed the technique of forming on the copper surfaces of the circuitry innerlayers (before assembling them with pre-preg layers into a multilayer composite) a layer of copper oxide, such as by chemical oxidation of the copper surfaces. The earliest efforts in this regard (so-called “black oxide” adhesion promoters) produced somewhat minimal improvement in the bonding of the circuitry innerlayers to the dielectric substrate layers in the final multilayer circuit, as compared to that obtained without copper oxide provision. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,409,037 and 4,844,981 to Landau, the teachings both of which are included herein by reference in their entirety, describe various improvements involving oxides formed from relatively high chlorite/relatively low caustic copper oxidizing compositions, and producing substantially improved results in circuitry innerlayer adhesion.
The assembled and cured multilayer circuit composite is provided with through-holes which require metallization to serve as a means for conductive interconnection of the circuitry layers of the circuit. The metallizing of the through-holes involves steps of resin desmearing of the hole surfaces, catalytic activation, electroless copper depositing, electrolytic copper depositing, and the like. Many of these process steps involve the use of media, such as acids, which are capable of dissolving the copper oxide adhesion promoter coating on the circuitry innerlayer portions exposed at or near the through hole. This localized dissolution of the copper oxide, which is evidenced by formation around the through-hole of a pink ring or halo (owing to the pink color of the underlying copper metal thereby exposed), can lead to localized delamination in the multilayer circuit.
The art is well aware of this “pink ring” phenomenon, and has expended extensive effort in seeking to arrive at a multilayer printed circuit fabrication process which is not susceptible to such localized delamination.
One approach to this problem involves post-treatment of the copper oxide adhesion promoter coating prior to assembly of circuitry innerlayers and pre-preg layers into a multilayer composite. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,444 to Cordani discloses a process in which the copper surfaces of the circuitry innerlayers are first provided with a copper oxide coating and then contacted with an aqueous chromic acid solution before the circuitry innerlayers are incorporated into the multilayer assembly. The treatment serves to stabilize and/or protect the copper oxide coating from dissolution in the acidic media encountered in subsequent processing steps (e.g. through-hole metallization), thereby minimizing pink ring/delamination possibilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,161 to Akahoshi et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,551 to Nakaso et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,560 to Kajihara et al, and a number of references cited therein, relate to processes in which the copper surfaces of the circuitry innerlayers, prior to incorporation of the circuitry innerlayers into a multilayer circuit assembly, are first treated to provide a surface coating of adhesion-promoting copper oxide. The copper oxide so formed is then reduced to metallic copper using particular reducing agents and conditions. As a consequence, the multilayer assembly employing such circuitry innerlayers will not evidence pink ring formation since there is no copper oxide present for localized dissolution, and localized exposure of underlying copper, in subsequent through-hole processing. As with other techniques, however, processes of this type are suspect in terms of the adhesion attainable between the dielectric substrate layers and the metallic copper circuitry innerlayers. This is particularly so in these reduction processes since the circuitry bonding surface not only is metallic copper, but also presents the metallic copper in distinct phases (i.e., (1) copper-from-reduction-of-copper oxide over (2) copper of the copper foil) which are prone to separation/delamination along the phase boundary.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,997,722 and 4,997,516 to Adler similarly involve formation of a copper oxide coating on the copper surfaces of circuitry innerlayers, followed by treatment with a specialized reducing solution to reduce the copper oxide to metallic copper. Certain portions of the copper oxide apparently may not be reduced all the way to metallic copper, and those species are thereafter dissolved away in a non-oxidizing acid which does not attack or dissolve the portions already reduced to metallic copper. Here again, however, problems can arise in terms of the adhesion between the dielectric layers and metallic copper circuitry innerlayers, firstly because the-bonding surface is metallic copper, and secondly because the metallic copper predominately is present in distinct phases (i.e., (1) copper-from-reduction-of-copper oxide over (2) copper of the copper foil), a situation prone to separation/delamination along the phase boundary.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,630 to Ferrier et al., the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, reveals a process whereby an adhesion promoting layer of copper oxide is formed on the circuit elements followed by a controlled dissolution and removal of a substantial amount of the copper oxide in a manner which does not adversely affect the topography.
PCT Application No. WO 96/19097 to McGrath (and related U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,859), the teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, discusses a process for improving the adhesion of polymeric materials to a metal surface. The process discussed involves contacting the metal surface with an adhesion-promoting composition comprising hydrogen peroxide, an inorganic acid, a corrosion-inhibitor and a quaternary ammonium surfactant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,130 issued to Ferrier teaches a process for increasing the adhesion of a polymeric material to a metal surface comprising contacting the metal surface with an adhesion-promoting composition comprising an oxidizer, an acid, a corrosion inhibitor and a source of halide ions.
With processes such as those disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,800,859 and 5,869,130, it has been found advantageous to use a pre-dip directly prior to treatment of the metal surface with the adhesion-promoting composition. The use of a pre-dip can increase the uniformity of the conversion coating achieved in the adhesion-promoting composition. If a pre-dip is used, the pre-dip may generally consist of the same essential composition as the adhesion-promoting composition except at lower concentrations and is used at room temperature. As such, pre-dips currently used in the art of the foregoing processes have typically been composed of a corrosion inhibitor and hydrogen peroxide in an acid matrix with pH below about 2.
This invention proposes a process for improving the adhesion of polymeric materials to a metal surface, especially copper or copper alloy surfaces. The process proposed herein is particularly useful in the production of multilayer printed circuits. The process proposed herein provides optimum adhesion between the metallic and polymeric surfaces (i.e. the circuitry and the intermediate insulating layer), eliminates or minimizes pink ring and operates economically all as compared to conventional processes.